27 Ways to Save the Consoles

27 Ways to Save the Consoles

October 31st, 2007, 21:35 Posted By: wraggster

from gamepro

Wii
Continued supply issues make us say "hmmm"
It's funny. During the launch of the PS3 and Xbox 360, mainstream reporters from respected pubs like The New York Times frequently asked us we thought Sony and Microsoft were purposefully restricting launch console supplies to create a "false shortage" and jack up interest and sales. We didn't believe that then, and we don't believe Nintendo's doing it now...or, at least, we don't want to believe it. But Nintendo's continued inability to keep Wii consoles on the shelves -- almost a year after its launch! -- is a puzzling situation indeed.

There are two core possibilities. Maybe Nintendo really is incapable of keeping up with demand on Wii production...though considering that Nintendo is one Japan's biggest entertainment companies, this idea becomes increasingly unlikely with each passing month. The other, more Machiavellian possibility is that Nintendo really is constricting its Wii manufacturing in order to keep supply tight and encourage people to buy early. This wouldn't be the first time Nintendo has been accused of holding back on launch hardware to bolster interest: industry insiders have claimed for years that the company performed a similar bait-and-switch move with the Nintendo 64's 1996 holiday launch.

Whatever the cause, it's time for Nintendo to fix the supply issue. Enough with the excuses. The Wii has enjoyed enormous success already, and Nintendo owes it to their fans to release enough consoles to satisfy demand.

Lack of storage and storage options
Doesn't Nintendo want Wii owners to download games? And what about the upcoming Wii Ware titles? The internal drive is limited to a paltry 512MB; that's less than a CD-ROM! And with Nintendo confirmed that there are no other storage options in the works, it looks like gamers are stuck. What to do? Why, offer an external USB drive, of course. Why Nintendo doesn't do precisely that is a mystery, but it's a huge inconvenience for otherwise happy Wii players.

WiiDVD playing could be a lot of fun
STILL no WiiVD playback
Nintendo spent the past year telling us how great the Wii is, how many sales records it broke, how it beat Microsoft and Sony, yadda yadda yadda. Yet they haven't done much to expand or extend the console, and DVD playback is a great example. Nintendo originally planned to offer DVD movie playback, but dropped it at the last minutes to save a few bucks on DVD licensing fees. Now that the Wii's a smash hit, why not add it back as a downloadable update? DVD players are a dime a dozen, but the Wii Remote seems like a fun, natural way to navigate through DVD menus and chapters. And it's a nice way to say "thanks" to the gamers who made the Wii so successful. So Nintendo, why haven't you offered a WiiDVD player function yet?

Bring on the rechargeable battery pack
Much like our complaints about the Xbox 360 controller, it's high time Nintendo start offering a rechargeable battery pack with the Wii. It'll cut down on waste (green is in, right?) and it's far more convenient for the gamer. At the moment, the only rechargeable batteries come from third-party manufacturers like Joytech and Nyko. Come on, Nintendo, it's time to join the party!

Where's the online play?
Nintendo may think that it doesn't need to focus on online play in order to sell a ton of Wiis, but this is an out-of-date philosophy. Gamers expect online play and community features these days, and the Wii doesn't have them. It takes years to create and perfect a great online gaming service -- even Microsoft didn't get it right with the first version of Xbox Live.

Too many bad games
Ask any hardcore Wii player: there are a lot of awful, worthless Wii games. It seems that by reaching the much-desired "casual gamer," Nintendo actually opened Pandora's Box. Now the Wii software lineup is littered with hastily developed games with little or no lasting value. This isn't exactly Nintendo's fault, per se, but the company could put a larger focus on quality. Say, by bringing back the "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality" and making it mean something for a change.

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